What is BlackBerry ID?

I just got the message that AOL Instant Messenger by RIM will no longer be supported, and if I want to continue using it, I should download the one by AOL from AppWorld. I don't have a BlackBerry ID and don't really want one. Do I have to make and use one to use AppWorld? TIA.

Okay, another. Is the BlackBerry ID only for managing apps and stuff I would obtain from BlackBerry App World, etc.? I mean, it doesn't tie in and allow access to my BIS or allow anyone to configure changes to my BlackBery if someone should log in from a pc as me does it? I don't want it if it has similar capabilities to BlackBerry Protect ...

Hey Tonis, I have set up BB ID and I just downgraded my Os back to .254. When I got it back up and running all I had to do to restore my Emails was to login to BB ID. Then it asked for each email password and restored them all at once. It also will also keep track of your apps downloaded from App world so when switching devices your not stuck paying again. Pretty slick stuuf I would say.

Oh and I am fairly certain you have to login from the device that is registered to you for it to be effective. Besides I would trust my BB's encryption over a pc's anyday! Haha

I just got the message that AOL Instant Messenger by RIM will no longer be supported, and if I want to continue using it, I should download the one by AOL from AppWorld. I don't have a BlackBerry ID and don't really want one. Do I have to make and use one to use AppWorld? TIA.

Sorry but if you are representative of "mass market consumers" that Research In Motion is trying to court, it is evident the IQ of their demographic is on the decline.... just like the competency of the management team. What do you not want to sign up for a BlackBerry ID (BBID)? What are you hiding? A stolen BlackBerry device perchance? But to answer your question you do not need a BBID to install applications on the BlackBerry smartphone.

Sorry but if you are representative of "mass market consumers" that Research In Motion is trying to court, it is evident the IQ of their demographic is on the decline.... just like the competency of the management team. What do you not want to sign up for a BlackBerry ID (BBID)? What are you hiding? A stolen BlackBerry device perchance? But to answer your question you do not need a BBID to install applications on the BlackBerry smartphone.

You do if you want to use BB App world. I don't think Tonis is hiding anything or has a stolen BB. We all get weary of big brother asking for more information. Tonis has been here on CB longer than most. No need to be offensive.

Blackberry ID's for everything is the way that RIM is going. It is used for Appworld, Blackberry Protect, and with OS7+ it is used for email setup on BIS.

As mentioned by others above, it ties your device PIN to the owner. When you switch devices, you move to a new device PIN, and your email, BB Protect Backups and apps go with it.

It can be confusing for us; especially the "why do we need a BB ID and payment info for free apps?" but it makes sense and provides valuable demographics to RIM and Appworld developers for what is being downloaded (what device, what OS, what country, etc.).

Thank you, albee 1 and Klotar, for your kind replies. The reason I asked is because I want to be sure that if I make one it's not what I would consider a security risk. As nice as BlackBerry Protect may be, and it does sound wonderful, I think it also comes with a security risk: it allows access to your device, its data, and configuration from a computer terminal. I like that my device can't be accessed from the cloud. For example, stories often come up how someone's yahoo or hotmail has been hacked. I like my @carrier.BlackBerry.net email address, because the email can only be accessed from my device, and not by some clever person sitting at a computer (in another country even) guessing passwords. If BlackBerry ID only serves to keep track of apps so I can reload them with ease when I ugrade the OS or change devices, that's great. I'll make one. But if it has sismilar functionality to BlackBerry Protect (i.e. remote access to my device from a computer terminal), then I'd rather pass on it. Thanks again to you both.

That's understandable Tonis, but you also don't have to set your Blackberry ID to one of the email addresses on your BB, just a valid one.

The hacker on the PC would also have to know your Blackberry ID (username) in addition to your password. To minimize hacking the password, it should be set to strong (mixed case, with symbol/number combinations.

I understand the need for security awareness; and no I don't think that you're on the extreme; however, there is a balance point / trade-off. A username and password is the basis for almost every log-in/access/etc., short of biometrics, fingerprints, voiceprints, etc.

Anyways, digressing from the original topic. You have weighed the risks of security and are of course free to decide accordingly. Good luck.

Tonis, just make sure that when you set it up, the email addy you use as part of your login info is the one set as default for your device or it won't accept it. It acts like its blind to anything but your bb default addy.

Blackberry ID's for everything is the way that RIM is going. It is used for Appworld, Blackberry Protect, and with OS7+ it is used for email setup on BIS.

As mentioned by others above, it ties your device PIN to the owner. When you switch devices, you move to a new device PIN, and your email, BB Protect Backups and apps go with it.

It can be confusing for us; especially the "why do we need a BB ID and payment info for free apps?" but it makes sense and provides valuable demographics to RIM and Appworld developers for what is being downloaded (what device, what OS, what country, etc.).

Quite nifty, convenient and makes good sense IMO.

I have Blackbery ID (for App World), but I also have different BIS login details for email set up. I am on OS 5 (9700). What will happen to my existing BIS login details if I move to 9900 OS7?

Will OS7 overwrite my current BIS login details with my Blackberry ID. Your comments seem to suggest this is the case. Thanks for your feedback.

EDIT:

Called my service provider few mins ago. They said I would need BIS user details (not BB ID) to set up emails in 9900. This contracdicts the general comments here?.....refer to #6 above as well. Confused now. Thoughts?

W888, yes your BB ID is now your BIS login info. As a matter of fact I just did a security wipe after a corrupt file wiped out my built in memory. A backup restored my built in memory (which worked great). And the first thing it asked for was my BB ID. After logging it showed me a complete list of my addresses which required me to input my email passwords for each one. After which all were added and fully functional.

I should be able to confirm again next week for a second device change, but as far as I can tell, for one instance at least; while the BBID on device DOES connect to your pre-existing BIS settings, your BIS login information remains intact.

I have confirmed it once to be true, two weeks ago:

Scenario: both my wife and I use the BIS web page from our PC's to administer email accounts, manage filters and signatures, etc.

The wife upgraded from an 8900 (OS5) to 9360 (OS7). This time, we set up the email accounts on the device, going through the whole enter the password on each account thing, and using of course, the BBID to log in and do the setup. After the email setup, service books came down, emails started flowing, and we got a notification that the email accounts on the other device have been deactivated.

I just logged into her BIS account today (two weeks later) from a desktop PC browser, using her original login info, for which the username isn't even an email address, just a username, and everything is still there intact.

I'll be upgrading devices myself next week, from 9700 (OS5) to 9860 (OS7) and should be able to confirm. My BIS account is actually a carryover before I even had my first Blackberry -- if you can believe that. It was set up for my Nokia E62, which utilized "Blackberry Connect" for email transport. I will be doing the same thing, setting up emails and confirming from the new device, using my BBID, and then later checking my BIS account from a PC browser. My userID for my BIS account is not an email address, although one of my email addresses within the BIS account is one that I use for BBID.

I should be able to confirm again next week for a second device change, but as far as I can tell, for one instance at least; while the BBID on device DOES connect to your pre-existing BIS settings, your BIS login information remains intact.

I have confirmed it once to be true, two weeks ago:

Scenario: both my wife and I use the BIS web page from our PC's to administer email accounts, manage filters and signatures, etc.

The wife upgraded from an 8900 (OS5) to 9360 (OS7). This time, we set up the email accounts on the device, going through the whole enter the password on each account thing, and using of course, the BBID to log in and do the setup. After the email setup, service books came down, emails started flowing, and we got a notification that the email accounts on the other device have been deactivated.

I just logged into her BIS account today (two weeks later) from a desktop PC browser, using her original login info, for which the username isn't even an email address, just a username, and everything is still there intact.

I'll be upgrading devices myself next week, from 9700 (OS5) to 9860 (OS7) and should be able to confirm. My BIS account is actually a carryover before I even had my first Blackberry -- if you can believe that. It was set up for my Nokia E62, which utilized "Blackberry Connect" for email transport. I will be doing the same thing, setting up emails and confirming from the new device, using my BBID, and then later checking my BIS account from a PC browser. My userID for my BIS account is not an email address, although one of my email addresses within the BIS account is one that I use for BBID.

I'll post back mid-next week to confirm in case anyone is interested.

Any update please? I know it's a bit late, under water with works lately. Apologies, and thanks for your feedback again.